t least, some distraction to their gloomy
thoughts.

When dinner was ready, all of them ate heartily, and with a relish.
Indeed, they had been so long without vegetables that these tasted to
them as fine as any they had ever eaten. Even the wild fruits appeared
equal to the best they had ever gathered from an orchard!

It was a little after midday, as they were enjoying this dessert. They
were seated in the open air, in front of the hut, and Caspar was doing
most part of the talking, he was doing his best to be cheerful, and to
make his companions so as well.

"They're the best strawberries I've eaten for a month," said he; "but I
think a trifle of sugar and a drop of cream would be an improvement.
What say you, Karl?"

"It would," he replied, nodding assent.

"We did wrong to kill all our cows," continued Caspar, with a
significant look at one of the yak-skins that lay near.

"By-the-bye," said Karl, interrupting him, "I was just thinking of that.
If we are to stay here all our lives,--oh!"

The painful reflection, again crossing Karl's mind, caused him to
exclaim as he did. He left his hypothetic sentence unfinished, and
relapsed into silence.

Several days after this Karl left the hut, and, without telling his
intention to either of his companions, walked off in the direction of
the cliffs. Indeed, he had no very definite nor determined aim in so
doing; a sort of hopeless idea had come into his mind of making the
circuit of the valley, and once more surveying the precipice all round
it.

Neither of the others offered to accompany him, nor did they question
him as to his object in setting out. Both had gone about business of
their own. Caspar had become engaged in making a wash-rod for his gun,
and Ossaroo a net to catch the large and beautiful fish that abounded in
the lake. Karl, therefore, was permitted to set forth alone.

On reaching the precipice, he turned along its base, and walked slowly
forward, stopping every yard or two, and looking upward. Every foot--
nay, I might say every inch, of the cliff did he scan with care,--even
with more care than he had hitherto done; though that would appear
hardly possible, for on the former occasions on which the three had
examined it, their reconnoissance had been most particular and _minute_.

But a new idea had shadowed itself in the mind of Karl; and it was in
obedience to this, that he now proceeded with a fresh examination of the
precipitous encl